After the games,
planning a trip to Great Britain?
Visit London's Art Museums!

This year the Olympic games are in London and for many, the only parts of London they will see are shots of Buckingham Palace, Parliament, Big Ben and the London Eye. But there is much more to see. Here is a sampling of artistic treasures from three of London's great art museums, the National Gallery, the Tate Britain, and the Tate Modern.

The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square

The Tate Modern at home in a refurbished power plant
on the south bank of the
Thames

The Tate Britain, a brisk walk south from Parliament

The National Gallery was founded in 1824, and contains 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. The collection belongs to the citizens of the United Kingdom and entry to the main collection is free of charge. There is a charge for special touring exhibitions.

The Tate Modern is Great Britain's National Gallery of Modern Art. It opened in 2000, and currently has nearly five million visitors per year, making it the busiest modern art museum in the world. It is located in the old Bankside Power Station which closed in 1981 and is located on the Thames across from St. Paul's Cathedral.

The Tate Britain opened its doors in 1897 on the site of the old Millbank Prison. The building received bomb damage during WWII, but most of the collection had been removed from London for safety. The collection centers on historic British Art. It is connected with the Tate Modern by high speed riverboat ferry, a sight-seeing delight for Tate visitors.

Below is a sampling of paintings from the permanent collections of these three museums. They are presented in no particular order, but together provide an idea of the remarkable nature and depth of what these museums have to offer. To the right is a video from Rick Steves featuring the National Gallery.

London's greatest collection of European paintings is in the National Gallery. From medieval to Renaissance to Impressionist, you can tour the sweeping story of European art without ever crossing the Channel. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series, including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit the Rick Steves website link below.

For those of you not heading to London, here's an less expensive alternative. Between 1900 and 1910, California painter Carl Jonnevold did this stunning nocturne of the river Thames with the dome of London's St. Paul's Cathedral in the distance. His easel would have been just near the location where the Tate Modern is located today. This painting is now on show at the gallery.

Carl Henrik Jonnevold was born in Norway in 1856. He came to America during the 1880s. While still in his twenties, he painted in the Northwest, but in his thirties, moved south to San Francisco where he established a studio near 16th and California Streets which he maintained for years, using his San Francisco studio as his base as he ventured out to paint the California landscape.

During the first decade of the 20th century. Carl Jonnevold studied art in Paris and Munich. In Europe, he continued his course of self-education by devoting his time to studying works in the museums and galleries. His paintings thereafter took on aspects of 19th-century French genre and landscape painting, a style suited to Jonnevold's representational approach to landscape. Today he is known foremost as a painter of the California landscape, with special emphasis on marine subjects (waves breaking on a rocky shore) and mountain vistas. But this nocturne of London is a stunning work!

Carl Jonnevold (1856-1955), Moonrise over the Thames, oil on canvas, 13 x 18, probably painted between 1900-10, available at Bodega Bay Heritage Gallery
(click the photo to link to our page for this painting.)

* * * * *

Stylized figures on an ancient ceramic urn,
depicting scenes of the original Olympic games

Ancients in the Modern Era
,
Poster Art of the Modern Games, 1896 Onward

Placards and handbills have been in use as soon as the printing press and paper allowed. Governments used them for proclamations and Shakespeare used them to promote his plays. But when high quality was merged with low printing prices along with the introduction of vibrant colors, the art form of the poster was in full gear.

By the 1890's in Paris, artists such as Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Jules Chéret and Pierre Bonnard embraced posters as a way to popularize their art. It was Jules Chéret who founded a lithography office in Paris in 1866, using striking characters and bright contrasting colors for advertising. Since this was art that paid, it soon attracted the talents of young artists seeking to eat as well as pursue their painting.

Posters were soon seen throughout Paris, the art galleries of the street. Artists gained notoriety for their commercial work. Theater stars would choose their favorite artists to create the poster for their next production. The art form became so popular, a major exhibition of poster art took place in Paris in 1884

In the oldest traditions of major proclamations and promotions, the Olympics have used poster art to great effect in announcing the quadrennial games. Long before TV or posts on Facebook or YouTube.com, it was poster art which carried the weight of telling the world of the extraordinary global event occurring far far away, an event which allowed isolated corners of the globe to come together in symbolic and ceremonial unity.

1896 Athens, Greece

1900 Paris, France

1904 St. Louis, USA

The posters for the first modern Olympic Games were designed and produced long before television and radio. The Olympics were new to most, and were at best a curiosity to more established events such as World Fairs. These posters were meant mostly for local consumption and were not part of a comprehensive media blitz.

1896 Athens ... 80,000 spectators cheered the opening ceremony of the first Modern Olympics at the Panathinaiko Stadium. The concept of Olympic teams had not yet evolved, and individual achievement was more celebrated. 14 nations participated, all European except Australia, Chile and the USA.

1900 Paris ... The Olympic Games were part of the 1900 Paris Exposition., a time when Paris was a center of world art and culture, and its new Eifel Tower was truly a wonder of the world. With all of that, the Olympics were far from the only event in town. Looking back, the games had some imaginative curiosities including motorcycle racing, ballooning, cricket, croquet, Basque pelota, a 200 meter swimming obstacle race and underwater swimming.

1904 St. Louis ... St. Louis repeated the mistake made by Paris four years earlier, making the Olympic Games a side show of the greater World's Fair occurring at the same time. Officially, events were held over four and a half months with organizers striving for an event a day. Only 42 of the Olympic events had participants from outside the USA. In Europe, the Russo Japanese War hampered European athletes from making the trans-oceanic voyage to America.

1908 London, UK

1912 Stockholm, Sweden

1920 Antwerp, Belgium

The Olympics of 1908 was the last time the Olympics were an add-on to a World Exposition. Four years later, the Stockholm Games stood on their own as a major world event. The Olympics of 1916 were scheduled for Berlin, but were cancelled due to World War I. The games resumed in 1920 in Antwerp, Belgium.

1908 London ... Rome had been chosen to host the 1908 games, but Mt. Vesuvius erupted in April, 1906 and funds meant for the Olympics were diverted to help rebuild Naples. In the opening ceremonies, USA flag bearer Ralph Rose refused to dip the American Flag to King Edward VI. Martin Sheridan, the USA team captain, later explained "This flag dips to no Earthly king." For better or for worse, here is where that Olympic tradition is rooted.

1912 Stockholm ... The games in Stockholm were the first to feature both the decathlon and pentathlon, both won by American Jim Thorpe. Japan's arrival at the games marked the first time an Asian nation participated. It was the first game with electronic timing devices.

1920 Antwerp ... The 1916 games had been scheduled for Berlin, but were canceled due to WWI. The 1920 games were originally scheduled for Budapest, Hungary, but because the Austo-Hungarian Empire was allied to Germany in WWI, the games were moved to Belgium. These were the first games to use the Olympic Oath or the Olympic Flag.

1924 Paris

1928 Amsterdam, Netherlands

1932 Los Angeles, USA

The Olympic Games became more of a world stage in the economically vibrant 1920's. The Great Depression diminished enthusiasm for the 1932 games, but it still was a rallying call for the spirit of determination.

1924 Paris ... British runners Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell (immortalized in the film Chariots of Fire) won the 100 and 400 meter sprinting events. Johnny Weissmuller won three gold medals in swimming and a bronze in water polo. These were the first games with a large media presence, with over 1000 journalists in attendance. The closing ceremonies were the first to include the flag of the host city, the next host city and the Olympic flag.

1928 Amsterdam ... The Amsterdam Games marked a number of firsts for the Olympics. It was the first time the Olympic flame was left to burn during the entire Olympic Games. The parade of nations was lead by Greece, and they marched around a 400 meter track which made its first appearance in Amsterdam.

1932 Los Angeles ... These games were impacted greatly by the Great Depression. More than half the participating nations in 1928 found it too expensive to send teams to far off Los Angeles. The star for the USA was Babe Didrikson who won gold medals in the javelin and hurdles events. The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum was known as Olympic Stadium during the games, and the Rose Bowl was used for cycling events.

1936 Berlin, Germany Third Reich

1948 London, UK

1952 Helsinki, Finland

The next three Olympic Games bridged sixteen years from 1936 to 1952. The 1936 games were used by Adolph Hitler and Germany's Third Reich as a coming out party, showing their strength and presence on the world stage. Following the games, the Nazi regime expanded a reign of conquest and horror, enveloping Austria, Czechoslovakia, Poland, France, the Netherlands, the Balkans, and Scandinavia. The games of 1944 and 48 were cancelled due to WWII. In 1945, the war ended and the games resumed in London in 1948.

1936 ... Berlin Germany topped the 1932 Los Angeles games. Germany built a stadium accommodating 100,000 fans and six gymnasiums and numerous smaller venues. Htiler wanted to establish his vision of racial supremacy, excluding Jews and Blacks. When threatened with a boycott, Hitler relented and other races were allowed to participate. When American Jessie Owens won four gold medals in the sprinting and long jump events, it was a major embarrassment for Hitler. But in spite of his Olympic victories, Jessie Owens returned home to a segregated America.

1948 ... London It had been twelve years since the world had gathered in peace to enjoy an Olympic Games. After years of war, the games of 1948 were greeted with a sense of global relief and celebration. But economic times were hard after the war, and these games became known as "The Austerity Games." No new venues were built. Because of the war, Germany and Japan were not invited to participate, and the Soviet Union still recovering from the war chose not to send a team. The main Olympic Stadium was Wembly Stadium, with a newly installed cinder track.

1952 ... Helsinki A couple of important nations made their Olympic debut in Helsinki, the Soviet Union and the new nation of Israel. Germany and Japan were again welcomed as members of the family of nations. But world politics still was causing some alienation. Formosa withdrew from the games in protest of the participation of "The Republic of China." USA decathlon champion Bob Mathias was the first athlete ever to repeat as decathlon champion. More world records were broken at these games than ever until the games in Beijing in 2008.

1956 Melbourne, Australia

1960 Rome, Italy

1964 Tokyo, Japan

With the Olympics being held in far off locations like Melbourne, Australia and Tokyo, Japan, the Olympics truly became a global event. Also, the mid 50's and early 60's allowed for the Olympics to be broadcast on television. Reports of the Olympics, although done on film and transported by air, pictures and commentary of the games reached viewers who had never witnessed them before. As advances in television allowed for color and satellite transmission, interest in the games grew stronger.

1956 Melbourne ... A small portion of the Melbourne games were held in Stockholm, Sweden five months earlier. The equestrian events could not be held in Australia due to quarantine laws. A new Olympic tradition began in Melbourne. During the closing ceremonies, athletes were allowed to march in together, and not restricted to their national groups as a symbol of world unity.

1960 Rome ... The American team was anchored by two larger than life athletes. Wilma Rudolph who had been a former polio patient won three gold medals and was acclaimed as the fastest woman in the world. Cassius Clay, later known as Muhammad Ali,won the light heavyweight gold medal in boxing. 1960 was the final appearance of South Africa's team under the apartheid regime. They weren't allowed in competition again until 1992. The USA gold medal winning basketball team included future NBA hall of fame legends Jerry Lucas, Oscar Robertson and Jerry West.

1964 Tokyo ... Tokyo lost out on its first opportunity to host the games in 1940 due to WWII. A generation later, the 1964 games were the first to be telecast to the world via live satellite broadcast. The signal made its way to the US and then was relayed to Europe. In a poignant moment, the Olympic torch was lighted by Oshinori Sakai, a Japanese athlete born on August 6, 1945 in Hiroshima, the day the atomic bomb was dropped on that city. Speedster Bob Hayes won the 100 m gold medal with a time of 10.0 seconds. Later he would star as a wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys. Boxer Joe Frazier won a gold medal in boxing.

1968 Mexico City, Mexico

1972 Munich, Germany

1976 Montreal, Canada

By 1968, color television and satellite communication had combined to make the Olympics an established world wide event. Posters changed noticeably too, focusing more on national symbols and less information. Mexico offers a festive and colorful theme for its games in 1968, Munich chooses cool blues with modern sculptural architecture, a far contrast with the forboding symbols of Berlin's 1936 games, and Montreal chooses a version of the Olympic rings of the five participating continents. But politics, although not featured in the posters, played a part in each of the games of '68, '72, and '76.

1968 Mexico City ... These Olympics were the first to occur in Latin America, and the first to occur in Autumn. In the game's biggest surprise, American broad jumper Bob Beamon set a new world record of 29.2 feet, besting the old record by a staggering 22 inches! But a symbolic political gesture by American sprinters Tommie Smith (gold) and John Carlos (bronze) received a lot of attention. They both raised black gloved fists while bowed heads in support of civil rights. 1968 had been a rough year, with the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Bobby Kennedy. Lyndon Johnson did not seek reelection, and at the time of the Olympics, Richard Nixon and Hubert Humphrey were in the final weeks of their Presidential campaigns.

1972 Munich ... Germany went all out to put on a first class modern games, devoid of the political show staged in Berlin 36 years earlier. The games made famous the names of athletes Mark Spitz, Olga Korbut, Dave Wottle, Dan Gamble and Frank Shorter. But their triumphs were overshadowed by the Palestinian terrorist group called Black September who kidnapped and killed 11 members of the Israeli team. In the end, five of the eight terrorists were killed as they were attempting escape while being helicoptered to a nearby airport. In a now famous announcement, a weary Jim McKay of ABC Sports announced the sad news, "Our worst fears have been realized tonight. They've now said that there were eleven hostages. Two were killed in their rooms yesterday morning, nine were killed at the airport tonight. They're all gone."

1976 Montreal ... Because of the events in Munich four years earlier, intense and comprehensive security measures were taken, and have been taken ever since. These measures proved effective. The Canadian head of state, Queen Elizabeth opened the games, a special moment for the Queen as her daughter Princess Anne was a member of the British equestrian team. Nadia Comaneci of Romania set the world of women's gymnastics ablaze with a perfect 10 from the judges. American Bruce Jenner won the decathlon and a quintet of American boxers; Sugar Ray Leonard, the Spinks brothers -- Leon and Michael, Leo Randolph and Howard Davis Jr. all won gold medals. 30 African nations boycotted the games in protest of participant New Zealand's visit to South Africa where apartheid was still practiced.

1980 Moscow, USSR

1984 Los Angeles, USA

1988 Seoul, South Korea

During the 1980's, the Olympics were as politicized as ever. Because of the Soviet invasion of Afgahnistan, the USA boycotted the Moscow Games in 1980. In 1984, the USSR reciprocated by boycotting the Los Angeles Games. Americans fans who had grown accustomed to ABC's ground breaking Olympic television coverage had to endure only the skimpiest of coverage of the Moscow games. Those same fans cheered wildly during the Los Angeles Games four years later, laden with record breaking numbers of gold medals, all awarded without competition from the USSR.

1980 Moscow ... The Moscow games hosted the smallest number of nations since the 1956 Games in Melbourne, twenty-four years earlier. Consequently, the nations which did participate won more medals than they had in previous games. During the opening ceremonies, USSR cosmonauts Leonid Popov and Valery Ryumin aboard the Salyut 6 spacecraft gave live greetings to the crowd via televised images on the stadium scoreboard. The crowd cheered as the loudspeakers amplified and translated their message. At the closing ceremonies, the flag of the City of Los Angeles was raised rather than the flag of the USA which had boycotted the games.

1984 Los Angeles ... In response to the USA boycott of the Moscow Olympics, the USSR and the East German teams lead 14 Eastern Bloc nations in boycotting the games in Los Angeles, although the women's gymnastic powerhouse of Romania did send a team. Determined not to incur debt, the American Olymic Committee recruited Peter Ueberroth as its chairman. Existing venues were cleaned up and used including the Los Angeles Coliseum, originally built for the 1932 games, and the nearby Rose Bowl in Pasadena. American achievements at the games were numerous, including gold medals won by track star Carl Lewis, hurdler Edwin Moses, and gymnast Mary Lou Retton. The USA Dream Team included NBA stars Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing, and Chris Mullin.

1988 Seoul ... These games marked the the end of major nation boycotts. Not since the '76 games in Montreal had Americans and Russian athletes competed against each other. Doves were released during the opening ceremonies, but in a bad bit of planning or bad luck, a number of the doves were burned to death when the Olympic Flame was ignited. These were also the last games to hold the opening ceremony in the daylight. Opening ceremonies afterward were moved to the evening to avoid blistering summer sunlight. Americans winning gold included track star Florence Griffith Joyner and diving sensation Greg Louganis. Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson set a world record in the 100 meters, but was disqualified for a positive drug test for stanozolol.

1992 Barcelona, Spain

1996 Atlanta, USA

2000 Sydney, Australia

The games of the 1990's and the year 2000 were relatively calm of the boycotts of the 1980's. Atlanta's games were marred by a pipe bomb going off in Centennial Park in Atlanta, killing an olympic spectator, Alice Hawthorne, and causing the death of another nearby due to a heart attack. As bad as this event was, it certainly did not rise to the level of violence of the terroritst events in in 1972 in Munich. The games in Barcelona and Sydney were fortunate, both being quite peaceful and successful events.

1992 Barcelona ... With the end of the cold war, there were no boycotts of the games in Barcelona. South Africa had dissolved its apartheid policy and sent a team for the first time since the 1960 games in Rome. The Soviet Union had broken up, and most of the former republics of the Soviet Union participated under a banner called the Unified Team, although Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania each sent their own separate teams. Germany had also reunited and sent a single German Team, the first since the 1936 Olympics. In a memorable moment, the Olympic Flame was lit by Para-olympic archer Antonio Rebollo. The American Dream Team in Basketball included NBS legends Michael Jordon, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.

1996 Atlanta ... Atlanta's reliance on corporate sponsorship lead to criticisms that the games were overly commercialized. American fans were said to have been excessively loud drowning out background music for Russian and Romanian gymnasts. But one of the highlights of the games was the lighting of the Olympic flame by Mohammed Ali who had won the Olympic Gold Medal for light-heavyweight boxing 36 years earlier in Rome. Atlanta was not free of terrorism, although it was not impacted nearly as severely as the games in Munich in 1972. A pipe bomb went off in Centennial Olympic Park killing one woman and injuring 111 others. Today, Atlanta is most pleased with having hosted the games, citing the experience as Atlanta's emergence onto the world stage as a truly cosmopolitan city.

2000 Sydney ... The Aborigines of Australia speak of their prehistoric times going back many thousands of years as "Dream Time." These Aboriginal roots were celebrated in the Olympic poster above, with boomerangs forming artistic angles. At the opening ceremonies, Australia's Aboriginal roots were displayed along with its European immigration past as a British penal colony. The Olympic flame was lit by Cathy Freeman, an Australian Aborigine who later won the Women's 400 meters. Australians embraced this opportunity to shine in the international light. They love to be hospitable, and are sportsmen of the first degree. They are one of two nations to participate in every modern games since 1896.

2004 Athens, Greece

2008 Beijing, China

2012 London, UK

Now in the twenty-first century, the biggest news in the Olympics is its coverage via the internet. With a variety of platforms and an increase in reporting, the Olympics have become a global party. Interest is not only international, it is instantaneous and personalized. Every telephone is a camera and a broadcasting platform, a far different reality from when the modern games resumed in 1896. We wish the Olympic movement continued success as an ever-increasingly popular voice for world peace, cooperation, and friendly competition. Conflicts and discord so often dominate the news, but with the Olympics, messages of global harmony provide a necessary and refreshing counterpoint.

2016 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

2004 Athens ... The opening ceremonies were a problem for NBC Sports. Due to sensitivities back home, they avoided showing a Minoan priestess as she entered the stadium topless, along with Greek athletes appearing as Greek statues (without pants). During the men's marathon, Brazilian runner Vanderlei de Lima was attacked by an Irish priest and dragged into the crowd. De Lima recovered to take bronze. The American Dream Team in basketball was defeated by Argentina. American swimmer Mark Phelps in his first winning Olympic performance wins six gold and two bronze medals.

2008 Beijing ... China went all for these games, with over 14,000 performers participating in the opening ceremonies. The Chinese invested heavily in the games, constructing 37 new Olympic venues, 31 of which were in Beijing, including the iconic "Birds Nest," Beijing National Stadium, not to mention capital improvements to their transportation and communication capabilities. These were the first games to feature 100% of the television broadcasts in HD, with a huge international audience due to the growth of the internet. Fears of terrorism and bad air quality did not materialize. The most memorable athletic performance was by American swimmer Mark Phelps who won eight gold medals.

2012 London ... The games have now begun and the opening ceremonies were a treat. Aside from dazzling fireworks, breathtaking symbolism of the athletes marching in and the lighting the Olympic flame, and a cast of thousands, the most memorable moment for many was the short film skit featuring Queen Elizabeth arriving at the stadium accompanied by James Bond, leaping down to the stadium from a helicopter high above, billowing out with Union Jack chutes. Add Paul McCartney with a stadium filled with fans, athletes and cast members singing Hey Jude at the end and it was a memorable and worthy opening.

2012 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ... From the towering heights of Rio's iconic Cristo Redentor high atop Sugarloaf Mountain to the footprints left on the beach by that Girl from Ipanema, Brazilians are thrilled to host the first games held in South America. With their appealing expression of tropical colors, and their rich heritage of music, dance and Carnival, we trust the Brazilians will continue well established tradiions of the games, all with Brazilian flare and flavor. With hope and anticipation, we look forward to Rio, 2016.

* * * * *

Following the 1906 Quake, renowned art critic Laura Bride Powers offers a glimpse into the issues confronting artists after the disaster. She hints at a rift between wealthy artists and those who are barely getting by.

Arthur Mathews was given the authority to decide how to distribute a $12,000 relief fund for artists provided by New York artists who made contributions to assist their fellow artists far off California. Mathews proceded, and of course, not all agreed with his ideas, including Laura Bride Powers. Then, in an unrelated portion of her column, she discusses San Francisco artist Bertha Stringer Lee, mentioning that she hosted a house full of refugees following the quake, and then concludes her column with acknowledgements of artists Xavier Martinez and Giuseppe Cadenasso.

by Laura Bride, July 8, 1906 .... When a great despairing cry of San Francisco went out to New York on that awful day in April, and aid sprang up from everywhere as if conjured by an unseen power, the artists hurriedly gathered together -- led by those who were nurtured in fair California -- and determined to raise funds for their fellows in the stricken city, the home city for many, and beloved by all.

Its an old story of how they decided upon a sale; of how it was a tremendous success artistically, and of how $12,000 (in round numbers) was raised; of how it was sent direct to Arthur Mathews, late dean of the School of Design, with absolute unlimited power to distribute it as he saw fit, with but one lone string -- that it be given only to "professional" artists.

Now, anybody knows Mr. Mathews knows his quality of mind -- his judicial fairness and his absolute, cold, unswerving conformation to his duty, friend and foe faring alike. Of this there is no question, and no one has found as far as I know, who has questioned it. But another question has arisen. "What will Mathews do with the unexpended money, some thing in the neighborhood of $6,000?"

The tip has gone abroad that it is Mr. Mathews plan to convert the rest of the fund to the construction of a gallery wherein the work of the painters could be exhibited and incidentally sold.

Caption ... "One of Bertha Stringer Lee's Impressions
of the of the waterfront of San Francisco,
a pretty bit that has feeling and shows good color sense."

Now, Mr. Mathews does, as a matter of fact, favor this plan. But wiseacre that he is, he will call upon his fellows for an expression of judgment -- though technically under no bonds to do so. Some of the painters who have lost home, studio, clothes, pictures, frames, everything they possessed, feel that $100 -- the allotted sum -- is scarcely adequate to set them going again, and that a distribution of the remaining funds would help them to their feet; and that the building of a gallery would more properly come under the jurisdiction of the Art Association, to whom an insurance of $150,000 is due.

But Mr. Mathews reasons thusly: "These artists sent this money, not for charity, but to enable the fellows out here to get going again. And I don't see any better way to help them than to give them a place to show their wares -- to give them a convenient market for them.

And no one can deny the truth of his deduction. It is sane and logical, but cold. Some of the fellows I know are in need, and some of the women. True, they were not Croesuses before the fire. Yet it would seem to be a happy thing to be a little liberal with them now -- but alas" I am not Mr. Mathews, a fact upon which he no doubt congratulates himself.

Some of the artists question the value of a gallery at this juncture of chaos. "Where," they ask, "are the patrons to come from? Necessities must come before luxuries." And it would seem off hand that their conclusions are true.

But what about the people whose future is assured -- the people who love a good picture and to whom a good picture is a necessity when the point of worry is past? How about the tourists from the East who are booked to visit here in the next six months? How about the wanderers from the Orient who pass through our city? These people are not affected by our little local fuss, nor, indeed, are Californians outside the city, and they have money to spend for the things they want.

Assuredly we must have a depot for art, an accessible, well lighted, well advertised and sanely conducted gallery, where strangers may be directed to find what the virile West offers the world in art. And I am an optimist enough to believe it would pay. But this doesn't settle the remainder of that New York fund. However, it were well to rest assured that Mr. Mathews will do the wise thing, the calm and unemotional thing.

* * * * *
Among the lucky artists who lost neither home nor studio was Mrs. Bertha Stringer Lee. Incidentally, though, she parted with a couple of hundred dollars worth of frames in the co-operative venture that Promoter Leggitt had launched at 723 Sutter Street.

Since disposing of a houseful of refugees she has been putting in good licks on her favorite themes, the waterfront and the ocean's sandy edge.

The accompanying sketch (pictured above) is an interesting bit, colorful and pleasing.

Mrs. Lee has the distinction of having sold a picture since the quake, -- a bit of cheering news.

* * * * *
And Xavier Martinez has sold, too. And if you don't believe it go to Piedmont and see for yourself. Never in all his glory was Charles Lummis arrayed as is Martinez. Never did such dove-toned, softly rubbed corduroy enfold the Lammus limbs as now drapes the philosopher-painter of "the Indian Sculptor." Nor is that all that screams of prosperity, for the same philosopher-painter is wearing a scarlet waistcoat -- quite brilliant as a geranium bed in spring and as decorative. Assuredly is this no calamity garb. Very soon the Martinez studio at 729 Montgomery street will be in commission, where conditions seem to conduce to work. What a powerful factor in creative work is "conditions."
* * * * *Giuseppe Cadenasso is still at Mills College, teaching and painting, and incidentally being worshiped from afar by a hundred pretty, emotional college girls. Though cleaned out of everything in his studio to the tune of $10,000, with a possible insurance of $1,500, the handsome painter is as blithe as could be expected -- blithe, however, in sports like the rest of us.

* * * * *

News from our Gallery

GALLERY HOURS are 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. We are also available for scheduled appointments, especially for those who wish to view the gallery on Mondays or Tuesdays. Please call Dan at the gallery and schedule a visit, or call him on his cell, phone, 510-414-9821

Our Galllery Reception for our Jack Stuppin: Songs of the Earth, the Joy of Color Exhibition was well attended and a good time was had by all. Jack enjoyd the opportunity to speak with so many who are interested in his work. The exhibition runs through Labor Day. Many prints are still available as well as cards, calendars and his hardbound museum catalogue book, Songs of the Earth, Landscapes by Jack Stuppin.

We've heard from our friend Sandy Hunter in Lauguna Beach ... "Hi, Thanks for the email as usual! I thought I should let you know about the museum show called "Buena Vista", put together by none other than Gordon McClelland. He has done a superb job as usual! It contains works by Tom Craig, Ralph Hulett, Millard Sheets, Milford Zornes, Frederic Whitaker, George Post, Ken Potter, just to name a few. "Buena Vista--California Artists in Mexico, 1925 - 1975". It's going to run through 11/4/12. Thanks for posting it! Thanks for the great work! http://www.CaliforniaArtGallery.com Take care, Sandy Hunter"

Johaness Vermeer's Girl with the Pearl Earring be in San Francisco before you know it,
along with Dutch paintings from the Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis in The Hague.
Herbst Exhibition Galleries, The de Young Museum, Jan 26 - Jun 2, 2013

The exhibition features 35 paintings representing 17th-century painting in the Dutch Republic. Among the works traveling to the United States are the Mauritshius' celebrated masterpiece Girl with the Pearl Earring (c. 1665) by Johannes Vermeer and the enchanting The Goldfinch (1654) by Carel Fabritius. The painting Vase of Flowers by the gifted Rachel Ruysch, one of the few female painters of the Dutch Golden Age, is being restored especially for the American tour.

IN Santa Rosa The Annex Galleries specializing in 19th, 20th, and 21st century
American and European fine printsThe Annex Galleries is a member of the International Fine Print Dealers Association (IFPDA).http://www.AnnexGalleries.com| Back to the Top

IN PETALUMA Calabi GallerySebastopol's own famed master conservator Dennis Calabi brings his rare knowledge and experience
to present a tasteful and eclectic array of primarily 20th century artwork."100 Years of Bay Area Art"The San Francisco Bay Area has produced a rich and varied art legacy. Its natural beauty and reputation as a progressive oasis on the western frontier have always been magnetic to artists.
144 Petaluma Blvd. North, Petaluma, CA 94952 Call 707-781-94952http://www.calabigallery.com |Back to the Top

IN PETALUMAVintage Bank AntiquesVintage Bank Antiques is located in Historic Downtown Petaluma, corner of Western Avenue and Petaluma Blvd. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Warren Davis and the rest of the team at Vintage Bank Antiques has assembled a spectacular inventory of paintings. From the 18th Century to Contemporary Artists. We have paintings to suit every price point and collector level.
If you have a painting for sale, please consider Vintage Bank Antiques. Contact Warren Davis directly at WarrenDavisPaintings@yahoo.com101 Petaluma Blvd. North, Petaluma, CA 94952, ph: 707.769.3097http://vintagebankantiques.com | Back to the Top

IN PETALUMAPetaluma Arts Council"... to celebrate local artists and their contributions and involve the whole communityDigital Mixed Media, June 29 – September 9, 2012Bay Area Artists Take Digital Photography to a New Levelhttp://www.petalumaartscouncil.org |Back to the Top

San FranciscoLegion of Honor
Man Ray and Lee Miller: Partners in Surrealism, through Oct 14

San FranciscoContemporary Jewish MuseumCalifornia Dreaming
Jewish Life in the Bay Area from
the Gold Rush to the Presentthrough Oct 16

OaklandOakland Museum of CaliforniaongoingGallery of California Art
showcasing over 800 works from the OMCA's collectonAll of Us or None: Social Justice Posters
of the San Francisco Bay Area: Through Aug 19

San FranciscoSFMOMACindy Sherman through Oct 08Stage Presence Theatricality in Art and Media
through Oct 08 Selections from the SFMOMA Collection

Palm Springs
Palm Springs Art Museum
Western and Native American Art
from the Permanent CollectionReopening with new selections October 18, 2011|
Combining traditional and contemporary artworks, this installation presents a complex blend of cultures, landscapes, historical forces and artistic traditions that both inform and challenge our ever evolving notion of the West.